[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]One thing is for certain, change is everywhere.  Today’s volatile economic, technological, and political environment makes workplaces especially challenging and unpredictable. 

This means that today’s leaders, whether individually or collectively within organisations, need to constantly review how they operate to stay ahead.

Ensuring you have the right leadership capability within your business to take it to the next level (whatever that is), manage change and grow is quite literally, business critical.  What will align leaders is their joint belief in what they stand for, where they want to take the business, and on what terms.

The most successful organisations are led by people who bring out the best in their people during times of extreme uncertainty, and make sure they have the appropriate HR processes, systems and frameworks to support them in their future state.

This article puts forward six leadership strategies to help you lead through change:

1. Plan ahead

It is important to think about what might lie ahead. This may sound simple, but it is often a step which is not given enough time and commitment by leaders as they are often working at pace and therefore (understandably) simply reacting to what is in-front of them. By stepping back and considering which potential challenges and opportunities may arise, you will be better placed to identify what kind of skills, capabilities and mind-sets will be required to manage the change ahead successfully and ensure you have the ability to achieve your strategic aims.

You will also have a clearer line of sight around where the gaps may be, in terms of resource, systems, processes, frameworks and capabilities. Spotting this early in the change cycle will give you the best chance of addressing these and ‘filling’ the gaps; helping you to maximise success.

2. Be clear on your purpose

When you are clear about your purpose, you can build your strategy. Once you’ve done that, it’s easier to create a culture where the best people want to work with you. Now your culture is doing the recruiting and retention for you.

It is important to keep purpose front, and centre, so that your people stay on track. There may be distractions along the way, criticisms even, but by focussing on your purpose and the kind of culture you want to build, as a great leader you will give you the best chance to galvanise your people’s hearts and minds. They will in turn deliver the business strategy, drive value and greater business performance.

3. Align capabilities to your business strategy

This is true for both you as a leader, your leadership team, and of course for your people.

Being clear about what skills, capabilities and behaviours you need to deliver your business strategy will inform you how to structure the business over the next five years or more, so your long-term plans aren’t left on a shelf. Successful leaders want their strategy to become a daily reality, with the right numbers of people in the right roles doing the right things, well.

You may need to make some tough decisions along the way; perhaps some people will leave your organisation, but that is ok, because if you a clear on all the points so far, they will be leaving for the right reasons.

As a leadership team you also need to be honest with others around what it is you really want, and what that requires of each of you. This can be a sensitive time, and leadership teams often benefit from working with independent facilitators, coaches and organisational development professionals during this time to help them navigate the complexities and dynamics they face.

4. Trust and engage your people

Bringing people together to plan and execute change is critical. Including employees in decision-making early on, strengthens their commitment to change. This should be a holistic and inclusive approach, working across boundaries, to encourage people to break out of their silos and collaborate with each other. This helps to build understanding of differing circumstances and perspectives and helps to fuse them as a team.

Remember to communicate! Unsuccessful leaders tend to focus only on the “what” behind the change. Successful leaders communicate both the “what” and the “why.” Leaders who explain the purpose of the change and connect it to their organisation’s values, and explain the benefits create much stronger buy-in and urgency for the change.

5. Invest in your people

As a leader, the most important people are those that are expected to carry out your vision and head into the trenches to make sure that the transition, through whatever change your organisation is going through, is a success.

Depending on the size of your company, look to invest in your people as much as possible. The organisations that are passionate about developing and building capability in their people are the same organisations that win and come out on top.

Whether it’s incorporating team-building exercises, bringing in experts in a certain field or enhancing skill sets in different ways, the opportunities for you to invest in your people are endless (and indeed in yourself as a leader!). This will not only help you and your organisation lead successfully through change, but you will also be showing your people how much you care about developing them to become better.

6. Commit

Successful leaders ensure their own beliefs and behaviours support change. Change is difficult, but leaders who negotiate it successfully are those who are more resilient and persistent, and willing to step outside their comfort zones. They also devote more of their own time to the change effort and keep the big picture at the front of their mind (and that of others).

IGNIUM is a Leader Development and Change organisation. We help to identify strengths and gaps in organisation’s leadership capability as well as the degree to which your vision and roadmap of how to achieve it are aligned.  We do this through facilitated team workshops, team and individual coaching and psychometric / strengths assessments.

By planning ahead we can help you to maximise success.  Our HR and Leadership due-diligence process helps you to identify the leadership skills, behaviours and mind-sets; and HR processes, systems and frameworks needed to take your business forward.

We work with you to build your ‘People Infrastructure’ and Leadership Capabilities to future proof your business, putting purpose at its core.

If you believe what we believe, find out more about how IGNIUM can help your business thrive at www.igniumconsult.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row]